A Most Unlikely Dynamic Duo
by Rusty And The Rubix Horse
Summary: A seventeen year old girl is captured and trained to fight for the CovenantBetter than it sounds! Chapter 8 up!
1. Rude Awakening

"Hold her! Hold her, I say!"

"We're trying!"

"Use the sedation pistol!"

A sharp pain rocketed through my entire left side, before everything in sight went fuzzy.

* * *

When I awoke, I didn't have the slightest clue where I was. I was in a knealing position, and my head had been resting on my chest. My hands were behind my back, and being held immobile in what appeared to be a pair of magnetic handcuffs. There was a glowing blue light around my neck, and it took me a moment to register that it was some sort of rope. It was not taught, but close to it, and I was afraid to move for fear of it tightening and strangling me to death. 

Come to think of it, was I really _not_ dead?

All of it was such a blur to me; I couldn't remember much. All I knew was that the dark room I was in unnerved me. It was damp, with scuttling creatures all about, and the stench of dead and dying things was present. A severe cold overtook me when I thought of this.

It was then I realized, that my clothes were elsewhere, and I was completely nude. The only coverings(if they could be considered such), were the handcuffs and the rope. And they did not cover much.

I lifted my head wearily to get a glance at the cell(as I called it), but let it fall once more in fatigue. I was sure I had not had anything to eat over the past few days, judging by the rumbles my stomach was making. I caught something out of the corner of my eye, and realized that it looked like a tiny container of--some sort of liqiud. Half afraid to drink it, for fear of being poisoned, I leaned downward to take it in my mouth. I couldn't reach it.

The rope pulled taught the minute I moved.

BANG!

Light flooded into the room as a door slammed open, and a figure stepped into my cell. I started, falling backward and causing the rope to tighten even more. The figure stood there in the doorway momentarily--and then walked swiftly toward me. Seeing as the figure was not in the shape of a human like myself, I panicked.

Between fighting the rope's suffocating hold and trying to scurry away from the approaching figure, my tired body quickly failed me. My air supply had been completely cut off, and the fatigue set in--but I knew I that if I fell asleep, I would never again wake. Still, I could not stop myself, and I began to drift off into an enveloping darkness...

"Calm yourself young one," came a deep male voice from somewhere to my right. I was nearly asleep, and my brain was not registering who or _what_ was speaking to me--but I did just as the voice said. I calmed--unwillingly of course.

I felt something warm brush against my bare neck, before air filled my aching lungs. A white fog obscurred my vision for a brief moment, and when it cleared, I was able to see the one who had spoken to me.

"Here--drink this--you'll feel better," the creature beside me instructed calmly. He held the container of liquid to my lips, and I took a small swallow.

At first, my throat burned liked I had taken a sip of sulfuric acid, and I tried to spit it out. But before I could, the creature clamped a strong hand over my jaw and mouth. I shook my head in an attempt to free my jaw, but he held fast. After a moment, however, the burning in my mouth turned into a cooling sensation, as though from a peppermint. It soothed my aching throat, and I breathed a bit, risking a glance at the creature.

He stood up, moving behind me and freeing my wrists from the painful cuffs. When standing, I presumed him to be around seven feet in height. He had bright golden-yellow armour all over his body, and carried what appeared to be an energy sword in his free hand. He had a strong, thick neck, and his head reminded me somewhat of a dinosaur. His jaw was split both in the middle and the side, allowing him not two, but four sets of gleaming, razor-sharp teeth.

A memory flashed into mind, and I immediately knew what he was. He was an Elite, one of the core members of the Covenant military. Known for being excellent soldiers, brilliant tacticians, and insanely aggressive fighters, the rank of an Elite is displayed by the color of their armour, and determined by the number of enemies they kill. The highest ranking soldiers are the ones with the most kills. Their armour color: bright golden-yellow.


	2. A Meeting?

This realization certainly took its toll on what was left of my nerves. Here I was, alone in a dark room with a Covenant soldier--and not an inexperienced one--but one of the highest-ranking soldiers in the Covenant military. Maybe killing me would promote him to an even higher level. When I next glanced up, the energy sword was resting at the front of my neck, and the Elite was focused on something standing in the doorway.

"You needn't continuously 'check up' on me, Ulerakath," he called in his deep voice, removing the sword. "I can handle her alone."

The Elite that stood in the doorway snorted and shook his dinosaur-like head. "The Arbiter has ordered her present at the Council meeting. You'd do well not to daudle."

"I know not of which you speak! What Council meeting? Why was I not informed of this!"

"Perhaps the Council did not see it fit that you be aware of the meeting beforehand...rank does not determine who the Council informs and who they do not." Ulerakath(as I assumed that was his name), again shook his head quickly, and raked his tear-shaped yellow eyes over my naked body before leaving. I could hear my Elite breathing heavily, as though greatly angered, and then he turned to face me.

He slipped one armoured arm under my own and pulled me roughly to my feet. With the light from the sword, I was able to see a set of stairs leading up to the doorway, which I had not realized stood a level above me. He pushed me forward, and I was surprised that I was able to walk--apparently the water--or whatever it was--had improved my coordination. I was also shocked that he had taken my handcuffs off before making me walk. It would give me the chance to escape--though I doubted I would actually succeed. He had a full suit of armour, with many weapons attached--and his energy sword.

I quickly ruled out the idea of escaping now.

When I reached the steps, I found them to be extremely narrow and extremely steep. I lifted my foot to step onto the first stair, but misjudged the height of it and crumpled painfully to the floor. My Elite made an expression which I took to be one of utmost annoyance, before pulling me again to my feet. He then picked me up and carried me with one arm under my knees and the other behind my neck(the sword still menacingly there as well), up the stairs and out the door.

I blinked at the change in light, as the creature set me down.I suddenly remembered that I was still totally nude, and that in the light this Elite would be able to see me more...clearly. So, taking a chance, I moved my arms across my chest to shield my breasts from his view.

He seemed to get the message, because he snatched a large cloth of some kind from his utility belt, and held it out to me. Nodding to indicate my thanks, I took the cloth and wrapped it around myself, checking and double-checking to make sure I was completely covered. He watched me for a moment, before once again shoving me forward and moving behind me, so that I preceeded him to our destination.

I walked, only semi-clumsily along, and only when he grabbed my shoulder in a painful grip, did I stop.

"The Council will expect you in better condition than what you are in," he told me, spinning me around to face him. His head was turned slightly to one side. I assumed that he had to do so in order to focus directly on me, because his eyes were on each side of his head. "You will wash yourself here." He still held my shoulder(his sword had been deactivated and placed elsewhere), and the other clawed hand motioned for me to enter a room to my left.

I saw something that looked similar to a bath tub, and walked up to it, the Elite's eyes watching me carefully in case I decided to escape. I moved as far away from him as I could without passing the tub, and then...

I bolted.

I could hear the metal armour on his feet echoing throughout the room as he ran after me, and heard a noise that sounded frighteningly like the sound a gun makes when being loaded. I skidded to avoid crashing into a solid wall, and then turned to run down a hallway. But it ended, when I tripped and fell to the ground, skidding along the cold, rough floor for a few feet, and then lay there, breathing hard.

Within moments, the Elite had picked me up, slammed me against the wall, and pinned me there. He held a miniature beam rifle to my right temple.

"Do you not understand young one?" he growled in my ear, split mouth opening in every direction with each syllable spoken. "Do you have no desire to live?"

Shaking in fear, I shook my head.

He breathed out sharply, and then whispered, "If the Council discovers you have tried to escape, your life will end in less than a minute." He paused for a moment, as if thinking. "I have no intentions of letting them discover that fact."


	3. Welcome to the High Council

When the Elite released me, you could say I was in utter shock. I had expected him to kill me--but he hadn't. He had stepped away from me, but kept the rifle ready to fire, placing it just below my ribcage, before placing a painful electric collar around my neck.

"Precaution," he grumbled to me, holding up what looked to be a control for the collar.

There has yet to be a time that I feel more like a dog than I did at that moment.

He allowed me to walk back to the washroom, but still, the rifle remained trained on my backside. Funny, how strong the senses can be when one is in danger--I knew that the gun was there, even without seeing it. When I reached the washroom, I obediantly got into the tub. He gave me a puzzled look when I did so.

Clearly it worked differently than a human tub.

After a moment of confused silence between the two of us, my Elite stepped forward and made a circular movement with his hand. The tub transformed into a platform, from which it became a dark cylinder. I immediately stood up and tried to keep my balance as the cylinder rotated rapidly for a few minutes. Nausea overcame me, and I was overjoyed when it stopped spinning. When the sides lowered, I stepped out, and found my skin to be almost radiant.

My cloth had disappeared sometime during the rotation, but I was nude only for a brief moment. My Elite immediately placed armour like his own upon me, though it was pink, rather than the golden-yellow like his own. The helmet was heavy, and he wound up removing it when he saw that I could hardly hold my head up. I silently thanked him that I didn't have to wear it, for it did not follow the shape of my head, but the dinosaur-like head of an Elite.

He gave me a quick nod of approval before motioning to me to preceed him to yet another area.

We came upon a seemingly endless corridor, lit by dim red lights, giving it an eerie air of importance. My Elite stopped somewhere along the walk and again placed the handcuffs on me, but he did not place the rope around my neck as I expected him to. He then moved to walk beside me, and a large door, possibly made out of iron or some other metal, opened in a rotating pattern. What I saw beyond that door put my heart in my throat.

The Covenant.

Hundreds and hundreds of Covenant soldiers, all seated in what appeared to be an extremely large auditorium. The only difference that I could see, was the fact that instead of a stange, the front of the room was much like a court. There was a raised seat in the center, and to the left and right were two more of the same, each lower than the last. On either side of them, there were three seats at normal height, each with what appeared to be a small podium in front of them.

Sitting in the highest three seats, were three Covenant leaders--Prophets. And in the podium seats, were five yellow armoured Elites. One of the seats was empty--I assumed it was for my Elite. He led me forward to stand before the Prophets, in the very center of the room--I tried not to show my fear of the beings around me. So I instead stuck close by my own Elite. We stood there for what seemed an eternity, before four other Elites appeared, dressed in red and orange armour. Their helmets had what appeared to be wings on them, and they were yellow and red. One of them gave me a look and snorted in disgust, only loud enough for me to hear. They each held long sceptors in their left hand, and purple energy swords in their right hand.

Honor Guards. Known for being most unfriendly with humans--and here I was, practically defenseless, with four of them around me. My only hope for protection was my Elite. I shifted nervously, and at that moment, the Prophet in the highest chair began to speak.

"Leghilorn," the Prophet said in an old, wise-sounding voice. My Elite gave a short bow of respect. "You stand here today, before the High Council, bearing a human at your side. What is your name?" He had addressed the last question to me, and seemed surprised, along with every other member in the High Council, when I also gave a short bow and said in a quivery voice, "Arisa Ton-ustel Delclair Ser'skel."

The Prophet nodded his oddly shaped head, before turning his attention to my Elite--Leghilorn. "Leghilorn--The arrival of this..._Arisa_, could have devastating effects on our homeworld--as I am sure you realize...?"

He nodded. "My reason for her capture was only to prevent her kind from infiltrating our storage facility. I gave no instruction for her to be brought to Tarsius."

"Still, Leghilorn, she is a danger to our homeworld's safety and well-being. I do not assume she was scanned for viruses of any kind. Should she be infected with any type of disease, an epidemic could be created and it is possible that our entire style of life would shift."

"I myself made her drink a flask of the liquid used for our soldiers. Any viruses or diseases will be supressed and contained within her until she can be properly screened. There is not threat of infecions or epidemics."

I stood there, shaking visibly, wondering if I would get out of this alive.

_A special thanks goes out to all of my reviewers--sorry for the late update. I had major writer's block and couldn't decided where to go next with the story. I realize this chapter may seem a bit rushed--but I wanted to finish and post it before I went to school--two hour delay today--YAY! But I need to finish an Earthscience lab writeup, and even though my teacher PROMISES he isn't going to grade it too hard, he's told me all these things I need to do to fix it...and yeah--thanks again!!!_

_Rusty and the Rubix Horse_


	4. Fate in the Hands of the Foe

Leghilorn seemed to sense my distress, but he stood quietly, completely attentive to the speaking Prophet. I risked a glance to my right, and saw more soldiers standing behind a three-foot high wall. There was only one Elite, and I recognized him to be Ulerakath, though how I was sure it was him I cannot say. He was focused on me, but was speaking in a hushed voice to the tiny soldier beside him, a Grunt. Once or twice the little creature would nod, and cast a glance at me.

I turned my head away quickly, and one of the spikes on my collar caught the area under my chin. I felt a drop of blood fall.

"She is frightened," came a voice from the crowd. The Prophet stopped speaking, and looked toward the voice, clearly annoyed at the interruption. I also tried to find the source of the voice, and I did. To my shock, it was Ulerakath.

"And how do you know this?" the Prophet asked, his attention on Ulerakath. "Has she _told_ you this?"

"No. See for yourself--she is trembling." To me, the way he said this sounded very disrespectful. I felt like a big spotlight has just been turned on me, and I stared at the floor. I could feel the Prophet's eyes upon me, along with every other member of the High Council. I didn't like the feeling.

One of the Honor Guards shifted his position when I looked just the tiniest bit to my left. The room had grown so quiet, I was almost afraid to breathe.

"Arisa," came the Prophet's wise old voice. I looked up. "Your fate lies in the hands of the High Council. You would do well to stay calm." I shook my head at him in disbelief. He was asking me to stay _calm_? His statement really did not help!

"My Lord," Leghilorn spoke up from beside me. "Being that she was brought here the commands of another and not my own, I should like to request that she not be put to waste." Even though he was completely changing the subject, the Prophet in the second highest chair answered him.

"Elaborate."

Leghilorn glanced around the High Council before continuing.

"This Council is entirely aware of the Human battle tactics," he stated in a loud, firm voice. "This Human, though young and obviously inexperienced, would have received some sort of training prior to her capture. Therefore, she would have knowledge of some of the tactics we do not understand, and could be of use to the Covenant Military."

"Possibly. This is all based on the assumption that she did receive proper training. What to do if she in fact, has not?" the Prophet asked.

Leghilorn looked around the High Council before answering. "I am confident that she received some level of training, judging by the fact that she was armed and under active camouflage during the time of her capture."

"Your confidence means nothing to this Council, Leghilorn," the first Prophet said sternly. "In the views of many, this Human is virtually worthless."

"However," the third Prophet spoke up suddenly, rubbing his chin with his hand in thought. "She could be used as a sort of...diversionary weapon. And I expect that our Brute scientists would be more than willing to take her in."

I understood that statement more clearly than I should have. Or wanted to. They were discussing my becoming a human lab rat!

"Any information she might have about the Humans could be forced out of her, should she refuse to tell. I suspect she would not withstand torture for very long. And when she is no longer of any use, she will be easily disposed of," the first Prophet said thoughtfully. I stole a glance at Leghilorn without his notice. He was clicking his mandibles in a fashion which I assumed to be similar to human nail-biting. He was nervous. Of course, so was I. Here they were, talking about my becoming a test subject, being tortured, and _then_ 'disposed of.' But what did my fate matter to Leghilorn? Why was _he_ nervous?

"Leghilorn," the second Prophet called, and the Elite looked up. His mandible-clicking stopped. "Since it was your request not to have her 'put to waste', perhaps you would like to become her trainer?"

He tilted his head. "Trainer, my Lord?"

"Yes. I should suspect that with a little time, she could be used to divert the Humans' attentions during combat. The High Council, I'm sure, would agree that you are the best choicefor her instructor."Leghilorn's eyes narrowed in what was unmistakeably thought, and then he nodded and bowed.

"I would be honored, my Lord."

"Very well then. It is settled. Leghilorn is to train this Human to fight...for the Covenant. However, I should also like to request that three Honor Guards be present at all training sessions--for safety purposes." The Prophets signaled three Honor Guards from behind us(whom I hadn't seen come in), and they moved to stand on either side of me, with one following behind me. Leghilorn bowed once more, and I would have done the same had I not been terrified to move. The Honor Guards' sceptors were deadly looking, and I was not particularly fond of the one that was pressed against my backside. Leghilorn moved in front of me, so that he was leading the way out of the room.

I caught the Honor Guard to my left glaring at me. I suspect it was the same one that had snorted at me at the very start of the Council meeting. He must have traded places with another guard. We walked through the same door we had entered through, and it rotated shut behind us, shutting out the sound of the meeting which had just permenantly altered my life.

_Hey y'all--sorry for the late update. Once again, I had writer's block. I got my lab writeup in--but I doubt I passed it...oh well, screw it then. I wanted to say thanks again to all my reviewers--you truly keep me going, as I'm having a very difficult time with this fanfic. I'm not all that great with first person point of view, plus the fact that I'm trying to make it sound somewhat...official, like the Halo games. Anyone else agree with me that the ending of Halo 2 SUCKED?? Anyway, I hope you liked this chapter, and I'll try to get another up soon!_

_Rusty and the Rubix Horse_


	5. Training Begins

A week had passed since the Council meeting. I was kept in a small cell, overrun with small, scurrying little creatures. They were larger that rats, but not nearly as pesky. If I shooed them away, they stayed away. The armour Leghilorn had given me was my only clothing, and it was very uncomfortable. Had I been forced to wear the helmet also, it would have been nearly unbearable.

Two days after the meeting, I had gone through the first training session. Leghilorn had not been friendly with me, but he had not been mean or harsh either. He was patient, which was something I was thankful for, as I needed a patient trainer. I had given up all hope of escaping, seeing as the only time I was truly alone was when I was in my cell. The door of the cell opened only once Leghilorn's hand was scanned for a DNA match(or something like it).

If I tried to escape, Leghilorn had warned me, I would be killed. If I betrayed the Covenant during battle, I would be publicly shamed and _then_ killed. Either way, my furture looked very bleak.

"Do not be so tense," Leghilorn said during one of my training sessions. "A soldier cannot afford to be tense." I tried to relax, as he had instructed, but it was difficult. Though I had grown to trust him to some extent, I was still afraid of the three Honor Guards. All they would ever do was glare at me in a menacing way and snort disapprovingly. They despised me, and it was easy to see.

Leghilorn handed me an energy shield, instructing me to steer clear of depending only upon it. He pointed a plasma rifle at me.

"Fire back at me, and _avoid_ being hit by my weapon."

Honestly! Did he really think I was _that_ thick?

Without further warning, he pulled the trigger of the rifle, and I rolled into a ball and then into a crouching position once I had dodged the plasma glob, placing my needler comfortabley in the notch of the shield and pulling the trigger. My aim was completely off. He fired again, and this time I wasn't quick enough. The melted, boiling plasma impacted my thigh, sending a burning sensation up my side. It had easily burned through my armour. A fat lot of good it had done me.

I dropped the shield and gun instantly, and tore the armour off of my leg to examine it. I winced at actually seeing it. Blood was leaking out of the wound, deep red and glistening. I didn't notice that Leghilorn had approached and crouched before me to examine the wound. I closed my eyes, trying to shut out the throbbing. Leghilorn quite suddenly clamped his large hand down upon my thigh, and I let out a quick yelp. A brief moment of complete anguish followed, but when he removed his hand, only a scar remained.

"What did you do wrong?" he asked indifferently.

"I...um..." I couldn't answer him; I didn't know.

"You were unprepared and you were exposed. The notch in your shield is both an advantage and a disadvantage. It allows you to be guarded from harm in two ways: you are able to protect yourself and fire your weapon at the same time. However, should you be behind that notch, rather than the shield, you are an easy target for snipers. They can zoom in and shoot you through that notch."

I nodded.

"And...when you were hit, you dropped both your shield and your weapon." He gave me a stern look.

"ButPlaying dead worksdoesn't it?" I asked him with a frown. He tilted his head curiously to the right.

"It will work occasionally. Human soldiers are foolhardy and will most definately fall for it. The Flood is virtually blind to the dead and dying, so it is likely to work with them. Covenant traitors, however, are not to be fooled by such simple trickery."

I didn't like his statement that humans were foolhardy.

"Dropping you only means of protection is not an intelligent move to make," Leghilorn continued, oblivious to my annoyance. "Should you find yourself injured, keep your shield over you. That way, if an enemy decides to investigate, you are not completely vulnerable."

"ButThe Humans won't fire on me unless they discover whose side I am fighting for." I paused. "Right?"

The Elite regarded me carefully, gazing at me for so long that I grew figity. "Unfortunately, the first shot you send their way is going to give away your loyalties."

"You really expect me to fire on my own kind?" I asked him shortly, instantly regretting that I had. His right eye focused on my face.

"In all honesty, you do not have a choice."

"Do or die then?" I muttered with a roll of my eyes. He tilted his head the other way before standing up gracefully. I, however, possessed no such grace. The armour was heavy and stiff and difficult to move in. I stumbled and almost fell, causing the three Honor Guards to make soft, repetitive snorts. I believe that they were laughing at me.

Leghilorn started to say something, but was interrupted by a Grunt messenger, who had come into the room.

"The Arbiter wishes to speak with Leghilorn and his companion," it said in a high pitched, hurried voice. Leghilorn made some low noises deep in his throat, and the Grunt answered in much the same way. I suspected they were speaking in their native tongue so as to be sure I couldn't understand them. After a minute or so of them speaking, Leghilorn turned to the Honor Guards.

"Stand by, should she attempt escape," he told them firmly.

"The Prophets"

"The Prophets have assigned me her trainer, therefore I have control over what I do with her. I am giving her a chance. I will however, give you permission to kill her if she does escape." He cast me a sideways glance, making sure that I heard. Indeed I had heard him. Silently, I nodded, somewhat surprised how hurt I was that he did not trust me not to run off. He seemed to notice, because his tone softened. "Give them no reason to harm you," he told me, nodding to the Honor Guards. Then he did something I never would have expected.

He removed my electric collar.

I heard the Honor Guards muttering amoungst themselves, probably cursing his actions. He nodded, and motioned for me to follow the Grunt out. The door closed behind Leghilorn with an echoing clap. It made me jump. I had heard stories of the Arbiter. He and the Humans had supposedly worked together to prevent the Journey from beginning. Together they had destroyed the Prophets whom had led this expedition. The Prophets who now ruled had been chosen specifically by the Arbiter himself.

I was tempted to ask Leghilorn why we were going to see the Arbiter whom I had heard so much about, but decided against it. The Grunt's armoured feet made quick paced click-clacking noises on the floor as we walked toward our destination. Leghilorn stayed back from me a bit, perhaps to be sure he did not step on the back of my heels, as his stride was much longer and more fluent than my own.

We reached what appeared to be an elevator, and stepped inside. I had a hard time keeping my last meal down as the elevator dropped quickly. When the doors opened, the Grunt led us into a dark corridor, the only light coming from the slightly open door at the opposite end of the hall.

_A/N: I'd like to give out a special thanks to all my reviewers, and I am SO sorry about the LONG wait between updates. I really had no idea how to lead into the future events of this story, and I was considering abandoning the story for the longest time...well, you can all thank my friend Jessica for convincing me to continue and giving me some good ideas! I have chapter 6 almost finished in my notebook that I write in at school, and once it is finished I will type it up and post it. I would say within three of four days there should be another update. The next chapter is going to be a bit of a turning point in the story, I think, so, I hope you enjoy itand I hope you enjoyed this chapter!_

_Special thanks to:_

_**Keystone**Thanks for your advice. I have taken it! This chapter took up five pages in my notebook, so I was planning on it being longer, but...oh well...It's still an update! Also, if you could point me in the direction of the place you got the info on the Elite ranks(Zealot, etc.), I'd be most appreciative!_

_**Blackened Diamond**Thanks for the info about the respectful title! I used it in my notebook, but on the computer I'm just to lazy to go back and re-upload all those chapters..._

_**Dazed and Utterly Confused**Thankies!_

_**Roxie**I don't normally like it when people are insistant in their reviews, as it makes them sound a bit grumpy(to me, anyway), but I guess it means you liked the story! Thanks!_

_**Marcus**Glad to hear it's caught your interest! However, in case you didn't realize...I am NOT a manI am a girlhehe_

_**Virtual-Reality**Yes, I do have X-Box Live, but I have never tried it before, therefore I don't have a username...yet._

_**Dragon**I am not a man! I am a girl! Thanks for the review though!_

_**Jango19999**It's not a slashnor could it ever be, considering it's not male/male or female/female. And if you've seen my 'slash' work before, you've seen wrong, because I have never written a slash._

_**The Immortal Hunter**Hehe. You are no longer the only one allowed to give readers cliffies! _

_If your name is not included in here, don't feel bad! I am so thankful for all of your reviews, as they are the inspiration I need to keep me going! Thanks, and keep reviewing!_

_Rusty and the Rubix Horse_


	6. The Arbiter

"I was wondering how long it would take you to arrive," came a calm, deep voice when we opened the final door. An Elite with dark armour, almost black, and a beaked shaped helmet turned to face us. He gave what I presumed to be a smile, but it was hard to tell because of the split jaw.

The Grunt and Leghilorn gave him low bows, and I would have done the same had my leg not still been aching slightly from its injury. The Arbiter's eye turned its focus to me, raking up and down my figure quickly.

"And this must be the Human child the Prophets have been speaking of," he greeted with a nod.

"I am no child," I said before I could stop myself. Leghilorn shot me a glance before shooing the Grunt messenger out of the room. The Arbiter chuckled.

"How is her training going, Leghilorn?" he asked calmly. Leghilorn shifted.

"She has learned the dangers of exposure," he told the higher-ranked Elite simply. "Her leg was injured by one of my plasma bullets. She has quick reflexes, but not quick enough." I felt the heat creeping into my face in embarrassment. I _really_ could have done without Leghilorn's comment. The Arbiter must have noticed my reddening face...I was sure of it. He spoke to Leghilorn in the language I could not understand, and a moment later, he left the room. I was confused and slightly nervous being alone with the Arbiter, and again, I am sure he noticed.

"Leghilorn seems to have taken a liking to you, young one," he spoke softly, approaching me. I took a step back, wary of him. "I won't harm you. It is the Brutes you must be wary of."

"I am wary of you all," I spat venomously.

Again, he chuckled.

"You fear us," he said softly, coming to stand not three feet in front of me. "Do not bother hiding it. I can see it in your posture, and I can hear it in your heartbeat." He paused, reaching out and lifting my face with his hand, which was surprisingly warm and gentle. "And...I can see it in your eyes." I took another backward step and he released me. "Why do you remain here child? Why have you done as we asked?" he inquired gently, making no move to touch me again.

I considered snapping back that I wasn't a child(for the second time), but decided against it. "I don't know," I answered truthfully. "I am told I will be killed if I attempt an escape."

"Leghilorn will not allow it."

"He gave permission for the Honor Guards to kill me if need be, therefore suggesting that he would indeed allow it."

"You have been cooperative, have you not?" He gazed at me, and I nodded cautiously. I didn't really want to reveal the fact that I had already attempted an escape, but I was unsure of lying to him. "So there is no reason for your life to be taken."

"Not yet." I turned my head away from him, uncomfortable under his gaze. I had grown used to the way the Elites turned their dinosaur-like heads sideways in order to look at something, but it was still an odd feeling when you were the something they were focusing on. His eye was still upon me; I could feel it like I felt the burning of the plasma.

"You will betray us," he said after a moment of silence. I didn't look up. "Even our most powerful leaders cannot change who you are and where you come from. You will betray us the first chance you get, because you do not wish to help your enemy."

"Would you help my kind?" I asked sharply, glaring at him.

He thought for a moment, before answering. "I _did_ help your kind," he told me in his deep voice. I rolled my eyes at my own stupidity. How could I have forgotten?

"Why did you help us?" I asked him after a pause, truly curious. The Arbiter turned his back, walked a few steps away, and then faced me once more.

"It took me a long time before I learned to trust your kind," he began, looking slightly sad. "After Halo was destroyed by your kind, my position as Arbiter was revoked...temporarily. The Prophets were kind however, and gave me another rare chance. If I was to fail, I would have been tortured, humiliated further than I had already been, and then disposed of. My mission was to retrieve the Icon before enemy hands befell it. I believe that you have heard the rest of the story from your kind." I nodded. "I helped them, only because I had no choice."

A single, loud knock came from the door behind me, making me jump yet again. My leg protested, and I stumbled in my place. The Arbiter growled something in the other language at the door, before turnind his head to examine me with the opposite eye.

"Leghilorn said that you were injured during training," he stated, sounding more as if he were asking a question. "May I see?" He made to reach out for my leg, but I instinctively shied away before he could reach it. I didn't want him touching me.

"No," I said stiffly, giving him a probably undeserved glare. After all, he was only asking out of concern. "It is already healed. Leghilorn healed it."

He made a funny noise in his throat, which I took to be a signal of annoyance or disbelief. I gave him another glare.

"What do you care if I'm hurt anyway?" I snapped acidly. "You're no different than the rest of your kind. If you had the chance you would kill me, whether there was a reason or not." Part of me was shocked that I was saying these things to him. He had been more than tolerant of my stupidity.

The Arbiter blinked.

"Your kind was always known for making illogical assumptions," he recovered easily, as if all would be explained in that single sentence. He backed away from me, sitting down in a chair and beckoning me to do the same. Though unsure of his intents, I did as he asked. The chair was less than comfortable, and I squirmed for a few minutes, until he began to speak.

"Your missions for the Covenant are of dire importance." He looked me briefly in the eye, making my squirming worse for a moment. "I completely understand your unwillingness to help us, and there is no doubt in my mind that you will betray us at one point. But your loyalties will change. Sit still!" I did. "You will be assigned to a team known as P-7. It is a team composed of five Jackals, one Elite, and yourself. Your leader; your Elite, will be Leghilorn." I narrowed my eyes at his pause, taking a moment to absorb this information. "You will do what he commands of you without question, whether or not you agree with him. Together, you will make your way to the Holding Chamber, which is many days away from where you will begin your journey."

"What exactly does the Holding Chamber contain?" I asked interestedly, forgetting I was talking to a Covenant leader; an enemy.

"Once you reach the chamber, you will be on your own to retrieve what you must," the Arbiter continued, completely ignoring my inquiry. "Neither Leghilorn, nor any of the others can help you. You must clear the last hurdle of your mission...alone."

I stared at him. They were planning on leaving me alone? How stupid could they possibly be? Apparently he was really confident my loyalties would change...which I was certain would not. Even so, I nodded, and rose from my seat when he did the same. He moved to stand close to my front yet again, but I could not step away because of the chair behind me. He griped my chin tightly in his hand, and forced me to look into his eye.

"Your loyalties _will_ change," he said firmly. "You are needed, Arisa Delclair. The fate of our kind...as well as your own...lies in your confidence. You must do your best during your training sessions. Respect and obey your mentor in every way possible. Leghilorn is one of our best combat tacticians. He will teach you well. He has been through more than you can scarcely imagine, and he understands Human emotions rather well. Confide in him if you need to, as he will listen and he will offer advice better than many of your kind could. As for now, I bid you goodbye, and I am certain we will meet again soon." He released me, and I nodded shakily at him. He motioned me to the door, and with a simple twist of his open hand, the door opened, and I exited the room.

_A/N: Yay! I am so proud of myself! I have updated yet again! I hope you liked the chapter, and just so you all know...NO LOVE IS IMPLIED IN THIS SCENE! I have had several school friends saying that the Arbiter appears to be a bit too 'fond' of Arisa, but he is NOT! Another thing: I didn't go through describing the whole past mission of the Arbiter for two reasons. One, I assume that most of you readers have played the game and know what his mission was, and two, I didn't entirely understand it myself, so some of it may be untrue or modified. So please, don't send me any reviews saying what I did wrong in describing his past. I hope this chapter came out to be the turning point I believe it to be, and I truly hope you like and review it! Remember, your reviews are my inspiration to continue!_

_Rusty and the Rubix Horse_


	7. A Puzzling Conversation

Leghilorn met me outside the room. I was slightly confused after my conversation with the Arbiter, but also found myself considering what he told me. What exactly lie in the Holding Chamber, that was so important to them? And why were they trusting _me_ to retrieve it? Especially after he _told_ me I would betray them. I didn't understand his reasoning, and in a way I was glad that I did not. I assume it would have been difficult to comprehend.

The Grunt was gone, and as Leghilorn and I walked to my cell, I spoke.

"Aren't you going to ask what he said to me? I questioned, though not entirely sure why.

He cast me a sideways glance. "I trust he was understanding?"

I wasn't sure what he meant by this, so I didn't answer. He cast me another sideways glance.

"Or perhaps not...? He talked about your mission?"

I nodded. "He spoke of a Holding Chamber."

"Ah," Leghilorn nodded as we neared my cell. "The Holding Chamber. A very important place indeed." He stopped and turned to look at me when I did. "Unfortunately, I cannot tell you what it contains. However, I can tell you that what you must retrieve will make you re-think your view of my kind--as well as your own."

"The Arbiter continuously told me that my loyalties would change," I told him in a soft voice. "I have no confidence that they will."

The Elite looked thoughtful for a moment. I thought he was going to answer me, but instead shook his head and said in a gruff voice, "Let's get going." He gave me the impression that he wasn't supposed to answer me. He gave me a hard shove and I moved forward, back to my cell which was in front of me just moments later.

_A/N: A very short chapter update, and I already have chapter 8 written out. For the most part. I apologize for the long wait between updates, but I just could not convince myself to continue right away. I also have updated Night Raven Revised and created a new story called Spongebob Squarepants meets AYE, if anyone would be so kind as to read and review them as well. I'm planning on posting chapter 8 today as well, so I hope you will all forgive my laziness and read and review!_

Rusty and the Rubix Horse


	8. Shield Practice

"Come on Arisa!" Leghilorn shouted during my next training session. "Block me!" I raised my shield before he even finished the sentence, deflecting the purple ray left from the bullet of the beam rifle. He fired again, and this time hit my shield head on, causing it to flicker and disappear.

"Damn!" I cried as a tiny piece of the shattered bullet grazed just below my eye.

"We have been working on this for three hours girl," the Elite said in a frustrated tone. "What is it going to take to get you to realize! The shield _must_ be held at an angle!"

"I know!" I snapped back hastily, glaring into his eyes challengingly. He seemed surprised at my aggrivation, because he let out a deep sigh.

"Very well. Let's try _again_." He paused. "But this is the last time." He pulled another shield generator out of his utility belt, and tossed it to me. This instant I touched it, it snapped to life and became a shield. I tilted it sideways and he raised the gun.

When he pulled the trigger I braced myself, and for the first time since we had begun, the impact didn't make me fall backwards. Instead, the bullet bounced off the shield and back towards Leghilorn. It hit him in the shoulder and he cried out, dropping to his knees. He held his hand over the wound; the bullet had cut through the armour easily.

"And _that_ is why it is important not to allow your shield to be destroyed," he gasped, clearly trying to appear unphased. He looked up at me, still in his crouching position. "Nice job."

I tried to smile, but I felt bad that I had caused him injury. "Are you okay?" I asked him, trying to keep the concern out of my voice. He detected it.

"If you are to become a warrior, you cannot ask your enemies if they are 'okay.'"

I thought for a moment, before replying, "You're not an enemy at the moment."

"_You_ cannot afford concern," he said darkly.

"Every man for themselves," I muttered. Since when had I considered Leghilorn human enough to be concerned about? I didn't like the idea. Although it was not him that had brought me here, and I still felt a burning anger toward him, I was beginning to think of him as somewhat of a friend. As friend-ish as an enemy could be, anyway.

He winced as he performed the same healing act(done on my leg), on his shoulder. After that he stood up and suddenly fired the rifle at me again. Unprepared, the bullet pierced through me armour and into my midsection with ease. I clutched at my stomach in pain, and suddenly realized he had hit me in a potentially fatal area. It felt like someone had attached an electric wire to my inards and was pulling on it with hard yanks. I tried to catch my breath, but my lungs werent cooperating properly. I coughed, blood visible on my lips, and crumpled to my knees, not looking at Leghilorn. A moment later, I heard movements, and then everything went black.

* * *

I awoke sometime later. I didn't entirely remember what had happened--until I moved. Leghilorn had shot me with no warning. I had been unarmed and unprotected. What a wimp he was!

"If you are shot in the gut, it is wise to lay with the wound facing upward," came a voice to my left. I sat up slightly, and saw the Elite called Leghilorn sitting nearby.

"How do you figure?" I snapped hoarsely.

He chuckled. "It is easier for it to bleed down than it is to bleed up," he answered, sounding almost as if he was answering in metaphor. "I apologize for attacking you when you weren't prepared."

I shook my head at him, no longer angry. "No--Don't apologize. Enemies aren't going to shout 'heads up!' before they shoot at me." I lay back down and closed my eyes. I heard him shift his position and a moment later he stood up. I could tell by the sound his metal shoes made on the floor. My eyes remained closed.

"You are wise," he muttered from whereever he was. "To some extent."

I opened my eyes and started to talk back, but he had already gone.


End file.
